The Spanish capital Madrid is a beautiful city full of fun things to do and see. With a population of 3.3 million The city is often characterised by its grand buildings and streets.
The Spanish capital certainly is grand, but it also has everything you need to have a fantastic holiday.
There is plenty to see and do and it is easy to discover quiet local communities just a stone through away from the impressive buildings and grand attractions. If you want to see more, there are many day trips you can take to nearby towns and attractions outside the city.
Madrid is very easy to walk around and enjoy. It has an excellent Metro system which is clean, efficient and affordable.
If you stay in the Centro area of Madrid you are well placed to easily access all the main attractions of the city. Having said that, within the Centro area there are a few neighbourhoods which might better suit the type of experience you are looking for. The Chueca area is known for its nightlife. The Latina quarter is known for its old style tapas bars. If shopping is your thing, staying near Gran via will suit you best. Regardless of where you stay, you are only ever a short walk from almost everything.
I like to stay in the Huertas area. It’s only 10 minutes walk to everything. It is also well placed for a visit to Parque Del Retiro and is handy to Atocha Station.
The absolute epicentre of everything touristy in Madrid is Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor.
10 roads converge on Puerta del Sol and if you use this as your starting point, you can find nearly everything from here. 3 metro lines also converge here and it is also the starting point for the Hop on Hop off tourist buses.
Plaza Mayor is just 3 minutes walk away along Calle Mayor. This impressive Plaza was the traditional centre of Madrid and is now home to many restaurants and events. The restaurants allow you to soak up the atmosphere but they are very much aimed at tourists. If you want great food and better value, you are better off exploring the smaller laneways leading away from the Plaza. Of course the Plaza is the perfect place for a photo or two dozen.
Mercado de San Miguel is a super busy food market 2 minutes from Plaza Mayor. Here you can taste amazing foods from all over Spain. The building is beautiful and the atmosphere is buzzing. Take your time, look around and simply enjoy the food.
Palacio Real de Madrid, Royal Palace of Madrid is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family in Madrid. It has over 3000 rooms and is famous for its opulent decorations.
Tours are available but you can also see the impressive exterior from the grounds outside. The Palace is a ten-minute walk from Puerta del Sol.
For a delicious break stop in at San Gines Chocolatería. Founded in 1894 San Gines is said to have the best Churros and Chocolate in the world. San Gines can be found at Pasadizo San Ginés, 5. It is a 2 minute walk from Plaza Mayor and 5 minutes from Puerta del Sol. Find it on Google Maps. For more tasty information read our foods of Madrid page.
Museo Nacional del Prado, Prado National Museum is said to house one of the best collections of European art in the world. You can see numerous works by Goya as well as Rubens, El Greco and more. It houses one of the finest collections of Italian masters outside Italy. It is about a 15-minute walk from Puerta del Sol.
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is Spains National Museum of 20 century art. Its collection of works by Picasso and Dali is famous the world over. Its most famous single exhibit is Picasso’s haunting painting Guernica. Reina Sofia is a 16 minute walk from Puerta del Sol and not far from Atocha Station.
If you are in Atocha Station, take the time to check out the amazing indoor botanical garden and turtle sanctuary.
If you need more of a green break, Retiro Park is a massive green space sitting just outside the Centro area. It covers 350 acres and is a haven away from the bustle of the city.
There is a large artificial lake with rowboats where you will see tourists and couples paddling around. You will also find kilometres of walking paths and plenty of green areas to relax and unwind.
There are always events happening in and around the park, especially during festivals and public holidays. The park is a 20-minute walk from Puerta del Sol.
You can fly to Madrid’s Barajas International Airport from anywhere in the world.
Flying time from London is about 2 hours 25 minutes.
Flying time from New York is about 7 hours 20 minutes.
Spains High-Speed rail connects Madrid to most of the major cities of Spain.
Madrid to Barcelona takes just 2 hours 30 minutes.
Madrid to Valencia is a 1 hour 53 minute trip.
The trip to Seville takes just 2 hours 40 minutes.
Madrid to Santiago de Compostela takes just 3 hours 3 minutes.